State Stocking Policies for Small Warmwater Impoundments

The results of a nationwide survey of state agency warmwater pond stocking policies are reported. As expected, a high degree of variability among recommendations was observed. The greatest similarity in species recommendations was seen in the southeastern states where a combination of the largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus), and redear sunfish (L. microlophus) was employed most often. Although stocking rates for largemouth bass were rather uniform, considerable variation was observed among rates for sunfish. Use of the alternate-year stocking method was recommended by 66.7% of the state agencies utilizing the bass - sunfish combination. Geographical trends in stocking recommendations suggested that although the bass - bluegill combination may be successful in the southern and midlatitudes of the United States, alternative combinations may be preferable in northern latitudes.